1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to electrical connector assemblies, and more particularly to an electrical connector assembly with two complementary coaxial connectors.
2. Description of Prior Art
Microminiature coaxial (MCX) connectors generally act as antenna connectors to connect antennas with transmitters. A conventional MCX connector assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,925 B1 issued to Lin et al. on Aug. 27, 2002. The MCX connector assembly includes a plug connector and a port connector. The plug connector includes a metallic first housing, a first insulator fixed in the first housing, and an elastic metallic sleeve secured between the first housing and the first insulator. The metallic sleeve forms a ridge on an outer periphery with a semi-circular cross-section. The port connector includes a hollow cylindrical second shell defining a groove with a semi-circular cross-section for engaging with the ridge of the plug connector. However, the arced surface of the ridge is easy to disengage from the convex inner surface of the groove, thus making the connection non-permanent.
Further, according to Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 15.203 and a public notice DA 00-1087 issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on May 22, 2000, an intentional radiator shall be designed to ensure that no antenna other than that furnished by the responsible party shall be used with the transmitter. Typically, a manufacturer will either design a unique antenna connector or will modify a commonly available connector to satisfy this requirement.
However, to a manufacturer, a unique antenna connector design may be expensive or unacceptable in the market, so a commonly available antenna connector which makes permanently may be preferred.
Hence, an improved electrical connector assembly is needed to eliminate the above-mentioned defects of the conventional MCX connector assembly.
A main object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly with a locking ring for permanent mating between the two complementary connectors.
An electrical connector assembly according to the present invention, for using with an antenna includes a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector. The first electrical connector includes a metallic first shell, a first conductive terminal and a locking ring securely fixed in the metallic first shell. The locking ring has an engaging surface perpendicular to a horizontal centerline of the metallic first shell. The second electrical connector includes a metallic second shell, a second conductive terminal and a second mating face. The second shell defines a groove therein. An inner sidewall of the groove adjacent to the second mating face is perpendicular to a horizontal centerline of the second electrical connector. The engaging surface of the locking ring abuts against the inner sidewall of the groove when the first and second electrical connectors are mated together. By such arrangement, the first electrical connector permanently mates with the second electrical connector.